Testimony to the Children and Families Committee, James Feaster, Chair
Silver Haired Legislature Bill No. 1703
October 11th, 2000
Thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today. My name is Gina McDonald and I am the President of the Kansas Association of Centers for Independent Living (KACIL). KACIL represents the 13 Centers for Independent Living around the state. Our mission is to coordinate efforts within Kansas, the United States, and internationally to the extent that these efforts will further independent living for all. KACIL will advocate for the civil rights of Kansans with disabilities, regardless of age.
First, I want to congratulate the Silver Hair legislature on your activism in this state. I am very excited to have the opportunity to meet with you today. I hope that even though KACIL is opposed to the bill, you will perhaps understand our reasoning, and will choose to continue to find ways in which we can work together. The challenges facing older Kansans and people with disabilities are very similar. We all want to be respected. We all want safe, affordable housing, access to the community, and equal rights under the law.
The more ways we can find to work together, the stronger we will become and the more likely we will be to elect legislators who share our vision for equality and quality of life.
SHL bill number 1703 proposes to create a disabled persons fund which would allow for additional funding for health care programs, assistance and services for people with disabilities. KACIL agrees with the notion that more funding needs to be available for these important services.
People are now being faced with the dilemma of deciding between buying groceries or buying needed medication. Additional health services such as dental care are not funded under many programs and the cost is prohibitive for those who live on fixed incomes. Individuals cannot make their homes accessible as they become disabled and so are forced to rely on caregivers until the caregivers are burned out or unavailable and then they are forced into nursing facilities. Finally, many devices such as hearing aides are cost prohibitive and are not covered by insurance policies.
But I am sure that we are all aware as we see the news the challenges facing the foster care system in Kansas. As welfare reform has become a reality, how many more children are at risk of being hungry, or being taken away from their homes?
Children are at greater risk than ever before just by going to school. Gun and other violence plague our schools. Children are less likely to be able to play outside their homes because of fear of being kidnapped or hurt.
The children of this state today will become the leaders in this state tomorrow. What kind of future are we offering them?
The tobacco money was targeted by the legislature to fund children’s programs. I watched in fear during last year’s session while the legislature attempted to remove any tobacco money that had been funding any programs other than children’s programs. I believe that they have a strong commitment to using those dollars only for children’s programs, and I concur. Even with that full amount of tobacco funding, there are still inadequate resources for the needs of children in this state.
Let’s look to other resources to fund this project. But let’s not “rob Peter to pay Paul”. All programs under SRS and Department on Aging are woefully under funded. It is the behavior of oppressed people to fight among themselves for the scraps that are “given” then by their oppressor. As long as we keep fighting among ourselves, there is no energy to fight the oppressor.
We realized that and prior to the 2000 legislative session we signed a statement of solidarity (see attached) with our partners in services to children and adults. We agreed to work together and together request that adequate funding be available for all programs.
KACIL requests that you consider the spirit of that statement and look to other resources to fund this important program.
Thank you again for the opportunity to speak with you today.